Am I correct in my view that "the same song" by Isreal Vibration is there best ever release and that all there other stuff just dont have near this LP's quality ?. I have 2 others on RAS (I think) that are just crap.

Yes DD i think you're about right with that summation - its a bit like the congos situation where "heart of" is miles ahead of the rest - having said that I am partial to some of the tracks on their next two outings "unconquered people" (israel vibes) and "why you so craven" (arrival - the first LP to be released on this label i think) - have to agree with your views about the RAS releases - very ordinary

"same song dub" is a nice outing but not quite as crucial as the other dub LP using "same song" backing tracks - fat man riddim sections "israeltafari" which should surely rate near the top of any late 70's dub top ten.....

Unconquered People is good too - its got the Wailers as studio band, recorded at Tuff Gong..Some of the songs are xcellent..Top Control etc.

Same Song is still by far the best though IMO. A roots classic.

As for the dub - the ORIGINAL dub LP of Same Song, called Israel Tafari or whatever is cool - note this is <different> than the later dub version.

There are 2 different dub versions of this album.

I think copies are going for like $250 for the orig now on 'the bay'.

I always wondered what the story of the dubmix on this one is - IMO it doesn't sound in the style of any of the usual JA dub mixers or dub studios at the time..(we are talking the original, obscure LP only dub mix version.)

I've oft wondered if this one was dub-mixed by someone in the UK in the 70's <gasp>!

"Unconquered People" (which is now available on vinyl you now where) is a nice set with 2 outstanding tracks - We A De Rasta & Practice What Jah Teach. Only recieved it few weeks ago but i feel that this is one of the albums that grow on you the more you listen to them so should give it more listens.

"Why You So Craven" also have 2 great tracks - Universal Father & Jah Solid Rock but again i didn't listened to it enough in order to know if this is only OK album or a good one. No doubt however that Same Song is a masterpiece unmatched by any other Israel Vibration albums...

"The Same Song" is the classic LP, "Unconquered People" is the follow-up (I've only heard a couple of tracks from this).

"Why You So Craven" is an early '80s Henry 'Junjo' Lawes production with his distinctive early dancehall sound. It's a very good record with the title track and "Jah Is The Way" (both sung by Apple, my favourite IV composer) being exceptionally killer tracks. Their vocals had became more 'mature' by now in contradiction with the amateurish, slightly off-key harmonies of "Same Song" (which are actually considered one of their debut's virtues ).

Israel Vibration then disbanded only to re-group with the help of RAS records' Dr. Dread in the late '80s. From their subsequent records, "Forever" (from 1991) is the best of the ones I've heard (especially the Apple-penned tunes).

Recently, a friend let me borrow his copy of the 'rarer' Same Song' in Dub - the one with the orange sticker that says Limited Edition dub. Like most folk, I have the more common 'Israel Tafari Dub'.

If I'm not mistaken, the main difference b/t the two dub lps is that 'Israel Tafari Dub' does NOT have vocal snippets but the 'rarer' one DOES have vocals cutting in and out within each track.

Also, at least on my system, it seemed liked 'Israel Tafari Dub' was a 'hotter' press than the 'rarer' version of this lp. The 'rarer' one seemed more quiet with more background noise (hiss) mucking things up. Can anyone else confirm or deny any pressing quality issues?

Ideally, I'd love to have the pressing quality of 'Israel Tafari Dub' with the vocal snippets included. Oh well.

Re: newer IV lps on Ras - I really, really liked some of the tunes on the 'Praises' lp = 'There Is No End', 'So Far Away' 'Jailhouse Rocking' and 'Try Again' are ones I replay a lot.

Fine material, despite the fact that I'm far from being a huge Israel Vibration fan.

I quite like Praises too, maybe it just brings back good memories of listening to it when i 1st went to JA.
I have a RAS cd with the dub versions of Same Song & Unconquered People, they sound like som-one got hold of the riddim tracks & dubbed them much later, like about 20 years later